By Moses Patience Chat
The President, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Festus Osifo, has said that innovation and technology have the ability to help create more opportunities for women, reduce gender disparities and promote digital literacy.
In a statement, Osifo said it was necessary to ensure that technology is developed and used in ways that would be all-encompassing and not strengthen already existing forms of gender segregations.
The statement also noted that a sustainable future was dependent on the development of inclusiveness for transformative technology and digital education, adding that there was hope for the future, if women sit up to participation in the technology field.
According to Osifo, there was need to promote women engagement in innovation and technology for gender equity by providing greater access to education for girls and women in areas where traditional educational opportunities are limited.
This, he said, has the potential to break down barriers such as distance, poverty, and discrimination, and that creating reporting mechanisms for gender-based violence and providing support to victims and survivors was also crucial.
His words: “This year’s theme ‘DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality’ with a campaign theme #embraceequity, highlights the need to harness the power of innovation and technology to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment.
“As a union, we recognize this potential and we are committed to leveraging technology to support women’s advancement in the oil and gas industry.
“Innovation and technology have been a driving force in the global economy. Over the past few years, we have seen significant strides towards gender equality in various spheres of life, but there is still a long way to go.”